Pepys in Love

I have read Samuel's Pepys diary. Twice. First I read Wheatley's three volume edition. Then I was gifted and read the ten volume complete edition from the University of California. I spent years ending my day with the words, "And so to bed." Yes, I am that crazy.

Pepys in Love by Patrick Delaforce was first published in 1986. I had hoped for traditional historical fiction, novelized, something with a plot line that followed history. I always imagined that Elizabeth Pepy's story would be very interesting.

Delaforce instead offers chapters addressing various aspects of the Pepys family life, told by Elizabeth, but also chapters narrated by Samuel, Lord Sandwich, and Will Hewer. Information from the Diary was collected together so we read about Elizabeth's clothing purchases in a chapter, and about the portraits they sat for in another.

The book is illustrated with portraits and includes a chronological summary and bibliography.

Having read the diary I was not very excited about this book. I imagine it would be perfect for someone who wanted to know about the political, cultural, and social world of Pepys time without spending several years reading the diary. In other words, someone who isn't crazy.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

This is a nice idea, to have Elizabeth Pepys tell her own story but it doesn't quite come off: the words aren't her own, are usually taken from the Diary or other male-authored letters, and thus still give a biased view of her life. In between the sources, Elizabeth's fictional voice is too modern and a bit glib. Good as a quick and easy look at a woman made famous through her husband's diary.